Open Call Egypt #1

The Creative Industries Fund NL calls on Dutch designers and cultural organizations to submit a project plan that focuses on:

1. Setting up and carrying out the exchange of knowledge in the fields of design, urban initiatives and building durable relationships in Egypt; or2. Setting up and carrying out a pilot project that ties in with an initiative in Egypt, concerning an urbanization challenge.

The project plans take a closer look at a social issue in a specific region or city in Egypt to which Dutch makers can make a contribution. In setting up and carrying out the projects, Dutch and Egyptian parties should work together on an equal footing.

The Open Call has ended.

Until the end of 2020, the Fund will be holding a number of open calls that relate to the challenges associated with urbanization in Egypt. The projects will deal with how these challenges, in a collaboration between Egyptian and Dutch partners, can be addressed in order to achieve more sustainable and inclusive cities. The question of urbanization provides opportunities for improving living conditions, housing, social cohesion and the utilization of technology for social innovation and for redefining cultural heritage. There are possibilities here for the exchange of knowledge and expertise between Dutch designers and cultural organizations in collaboration with Egyptian partners.

sustainable and inclusive cities through designHow Egyptian and Dutch parties from the field of design can work on specific issues requires both exploratory work and projects that set an example. The role and involvement of local communities as full stakeholders in urban development is an important theme in both the Egyptian and Dutch design fields. One of the effects of projects and working methods that focus on this involvement is that they can lead to the meaningful transformation of the public space and the development of neighbourhoods. But also to the creation of awareness of aspects such as the value and potential transformation of (cultural) heritage, use or reuse of water and waste in the city. An additional aspect is the importance of reinforcing existing initiatives in Egypt that focus on urban issues with a strong social agenda.

Project plans that focus on exploration, exchange of knowledge and building durable relationships can consist of:

A public or semi-public programme in which Dutch and Egyptian parties work together on a spatial issue and where there is room for social reflection on the issue;

The exploration of models for social innovation and the stimulation of a creative economy;

Bringing together different disciplines to achieve innovative working methods or design solutions for more sustainable and inclusive urbanization;

Examination of one or more urban phenomena and making this knowledge accessible and usable.

The project forms could consist of various activities, such as workshops, a series of debates, hackathons, festivals or an urban lab on site. The activities should form a coherent whole, the project form should reinforce the content and vice versa, and they should lead to tangible results that are shared in both Egypt and the Netherlands.

Project plans focusing on setting up and carrying out a pilot project could, for instance, address:

The issue of housing;

Spatial installations or interventions in the urban context that make the chosen social theme tangible;

The reinforcement of the identity of neighbourhoods;

Access to facilities;

Waste management and reuse as a spatial-social issue;

The Water issue and the reuse of water.

This is a small selection from themes that are current in various places in Egypt. The project plans could tie in with these themes or explore a different issue that is endorsed from the Egyptian side. The projects could include an intervention, installation or study, in both the physical and virtual domain and they should tie in with an initiative or specific case on site where knowledge has already been developed and local Egyptian parties are involved.

Some questions that are relevant here are:

Which methods and forms of cross-disciplinary collaboration are desirable within the project?

Which effects are the stakeholders involved aiming to achieve with the project and on what scale and within which timeframe will these effects materialize?

How can the knowledge developed within the project about the Egyptian situation/context, in the area of urbanization or the chosen social theme, contribute to similar issues in the Netherlands?

applying partyThe applying party should be located in the Netherlands, operating in the Dutch creative industry field and registered with the Chamber of Commerce. In the event of selection, this party functions as the principal contractor for carrying out the project and concludes an agreement with the Fund for the implementation of the submitted project plan on behalf of all the Dutch and Egyptian coalition partners.

coalitionThe Dutch-Egyptian coalitions should fulfil the following conditions:

The Dutch organizer is the principal applicant;

Involvement of at least one Egyptian partner;

Participation of several Dutch designers in the process;

Scaling up or deepening the collaboration between Dutch and Egyptian parties from a cultural perspective.

budget and support in 2 phasesA maximum budget of € 175,000 has been reserved for this Open Call. The support to selected projects is provided in two phases. In the first selection round, a maximum of 4 projects are selected. For the initial phase, a maximum amount of € 15,000 per project is available. The initial phase lasts for a period of 4 months at most, during which activities are carried out that include the generation of a comprehensive project plan for the second phase.

The aim is to provide support to a maximum of 3 projects in the second phase. For the second phase, the remaining budget of € 175,000 minus the starting grants awarded is available.

content of the project plan phase 1 Clearly formulated issue

A description of the urbanization issue and the social theme in Egypt, including a clearly formulated locally supported question from an Egyptian party;

A view of the issue from a Dutch perspective;

A view of the issue from an Egyptian perspective;

A description of the cross-disciplinary approach to the issue;

Insight into the intended results and how these contribute to a sustainable and inclusive approach/solution to the stated issue;

Description of the level and scale of the project implementation.

Vision on the collaboration, expertise involved and working method

A vision on and description of the working method and the involvement of designers/makers, (local) stakeholders and users/communities;

A description of the disciplines and experts involved.

Description of relevant experience

Description of the organization(s) involved's experience with projects and collaborations in Egypt;

Description of the organization(s) involved's experience with projects and collaborations related to the stated issue and working method.

Organization, implementation and communication

Working method and planning phase 1 (start April/May 2018) and phasing in outline for implementation of the project in phase 2 (start 1 September 2018 at the latest), indicating which phases are still being investigated;

The implementation of phase 2 takes place in the period 2018-2019 and has a maximum duration of 12 months;

Budget and other sources of support for the entire project in outline. The support is mainly intended for the deployment of the design, designers, makers and organizational hours;

Detailed budget relating to the initial phase and hours involved;

Communication plan, focusing on attracting a suitable audience, sharing of knowledge and experiences and sharing results.

content of the comprehensive project plan phase 2Project plans for phase 2 should be developed on the following points:

The collaboration between the partners has been made tangible by means of a collaboration agreement signed by all the coalition partners;

The planning and budget for the project has been worked out;

Backing and the required co-financing has been organized;

Research questions have been honed;

The communication plan and the organization of the dissemination of knowledge have been worked out;

The hiring of the required expertise has been confirmed;

The expected effects of the project on the urban environment, the stakeholders involved, participating designers and the local community have been examined.

All results of the project (both phase 1 and 2) should be publicly available in both countries and remain so. The selected projects will also be expected to participate in interim activities focusing on the sharing of experiences and the process, organized by the Fund.

evaluationTogether with external experts, the Fund selects a number of projects from the applications submitted for the initial phase, on the basis of the following criteria:

The degree of full collaboration with organizations in Egypt, Dutch designers/makers and (local) stakeholders;

The relevance of the subject;

The extent to which content and project form reinforce each other and are distinctive in this respect;

A balanced distribution of the budget between the Dutch and Egyptian partners.

The Fund is advised by the Dutch Embassy in Cairo concerning the collaboration between Dutch and Egyptian parties within the proposed coalition.

The evaluation takes the form of a tender. This means that a number of projects are selected in preference to other submissions, and the project plans that are not selected do not receive any individual explanation from the Fund. The Fund contacts the selected projects. The selection is made known by e-mail within 6 weeks of the closing date.

objectivesThe aims of the Fund's programme are:

Building durable collaborations and (knowledge) networks between the Netherlands and Egypt;

Strengthening projects that are locally embedded and based on a local question;

Encouraging an inclusive and equal approach to issues, collaborations and exchanges.

submissionThe project plan can be submitted from January 1st until 7 March 2018 via the Creative Industries Fund NL's online application environment. From January 1st you can select the 'Open Call Egypt #1' round.

The project plan consists of the following attachments:1. A concise and coherent project plan that covers the points mentioned above.2. The budget and planning must not exceed 2 pages and indicate what is to be investigated and elaborated during the initial phase and the subsequent phase. A cultural tariff should be utilized that does not exceed € 65 per hour exclusive of VAT.3. CVs of parties involved, not exceeding 2 pages in total.4. Proof of registration with a Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel), not more than 1 year old.5. Representative image for communication purposes by the Fund.

The project plan is a PDF file in A4 format and does not exceed 10 pages (excluding planning, budget, CVs, images and proof of registration Dutch Chamber of Commerce). The file size does not exceed 10 MB in total. If the submission does not comply with the description above, no evaluation of the content can take place.

Please note:

Request your login details for the online application environment in good time and familiarize yourself with the application form. Validation of a new user account takes 1 working day at most.

You can't present a concept project plan to the Fund, but you may ask for advice during the preparations until 27 February 2018 at the latest.

You will receive confirmation of receipt by e-mail one week after the closing date at the latest.

meetingThe Fund is organizing a meeting for interested parties on 15 February 2018, in The Netherlands. If you would like to receive an invitation, please send an e-mail to internationaal@stimuleringsfonds.nl stating 'Meeting Open Call Egypt #1'.

This Open Call has its legal basis in the Subsidy Regulations of the Creative Industries Fund NL.

backgroundThe Creative Industries Fund NL is conducting a four-year programme within the policy framework of the International Culture Policy 2017-2020 (objective 2) with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, entitled 'Inclusive Cities & Societies through Design'. Central to the programme is the role and deployment of design and design thinking to question and provide solutions for rapid urbanization and the corresponding social themes. Cross-disciplinary working with relevant stakeholders in Egypt is encouraged, both within and beyond the design disciplines, where it revolves around providing opportunities for collaboration between Egypt and the Netherlands on an equal footing and strengthening the trust and understanding between the two countries.

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POSTPONED: Open Call Residency Tanger, Morocco

POSTPONED: Open Call Residency Tanger, Morocco

Attention: the Open Call Residency Tanger, Morocco is closed until further notice.

The Creative Industries Fund NL and the Mondriaan Fund are jointly offering two residency periods at Think Tanger in the Moroccan city of Tanger in 2020 and 2021.

The working period at Think Tanger offers promising designers, makers and artists the space to carry out research, broaden their network and develop their own work, where the theme of 'Informal Utopias' is an important part of the residency. There are places for two designers and two visual artists. The Fund is reserving a maximum budget of € 11,000 for this open call, intended for the support of two designers.

backgroundMorocco's cultural sector is becoming increasingly internationally connected. Where previous generations of makers and artists have paved the way, a young generation of Moroccan makers and artists is taking art and culture to new heights. Currents and styles are mixed and remixed, and popular culture exists alongside established art, but they are also combined with each other. Morocco's geographical location makes it a crossroads of influences and styles. The cultural scene is co-formed by the children of migrants outside Morocco, who consciously choose to settle in Morocco in order to set up cultural projects there. In this way, a new generation of artists, designers, programme makers and curators is shaping the art and culture scene in North Africa from the inside out. Bringing together and learning from each other's perspectives, skills and values is one of the reasons for this residency.

Think TangerThink Tanger was founded in 2016. As a platform, Think Tanger actively questions the contemporary social and spatial effects of the city's development, exploring new forms and perspectives. Using a bottom-up approach, it addresses themes such as self-organization, street culture, identity and appropriation of public space in relation to large-scale developments. Think Tanger initiates and facilitates projects at the intersection of visual arts, crafts, design and research. In addition, participatory workshops, talks, open studios, exhibitions, podcasts and residencies are organized.

Tanger Tanger is a port city in the north of Morocco. In the last 20 years, Tanger has been undergoing major changes due to economic and industrial prosperity. This has influenced the structure of Tanger at a social, spatial and cultural level. Many of these large-scale developments lack a social and sustainable perspective and, as a result, the local population experiences only limited involvement. At the same time, there is a resilient community in Tanger that is nonetheless making the city its own. This manifests itself, for example, in the creation of collective gardens, alternative routes and self-construction. These interventions shape the city and transform the urban, social and economic fabric in a way that is defined as 'informal urbanism'. This makes Tanger a city with many different layers, a city where tradition is being challenged by renewal.

the residencyThink Tanger aims to explore and develop a critical discourse on informal practices and city fluxes in Tanger. Within this framework, Think Tanger invites designers, makers and artists to investigate the spatial dynamics of Tanger through objects, shapes, colours, textures and sound. See the Think Tanger website here.

The residents are housed in an apartment, each with their own room. The living room, bathroom and kitchen are shared. Think Tanger provides guidance on content and practical matters and connects the residents with their network. Residents also have access to the graphic Atelier Kissaria, which has a screen-printing studio at its disposal. Part of this residency is a public final presentation. The form of the final presentation is determined in consultation with the residents. During the residency period, one or two open studio sessions will be organized, to which a suitable audience will be invited. Think Tanger asks each resident to contribute to the platform's archive by leaving behind a work created during the residency period, in close consultation with the resident.

who is this residency for?The residency can be applied for by designers and makers via the Creative Industries Fund NL, and by visual artists through the Mondriaan Fund. Per period, a designer and a maker will work at the same time at Think Tanger. Residents are expected to have a flexible and open attitude towards the context and the local people. Duos or joint ventures (temporary or otherwise) cannot apply for this residency.

amount and working periodThe working periods offered are:

1 October 2020 until 31 December 2020

1 May until 31 July 2021

The preferred period of residence must be indicated on the application form. The aim is to grant the period of preference if at all possible.A fixed contribution of € 5,500 per resident is made available for travel, material, transport and accommodation costs. The contribution includes an amount for a trip through Morocco, which takes place during a two-week break within the residency period. The resident decides the content of this trip themselves. The living accommodation rent, work space, coordination, guidance and presentation are settled directly with Think Tanger by the Creative Industries Fund NL and the Mondriaan Fund.

evaluation criteriaAll the applications received that fulfil the formal conditions and include all the requested attachments are presented to an advisory committee. The committee evaluates the quality and development of the applicant's work in relation to the location and theme, and the extent to which the proposed activities contribute to the applicant's own artistic and professional development.It does so on the basis of:

the applicant's motivation for this specific residency

portfolio (max. 15 pages A4)

the applicant's CV (max. 2 pages A4)

A concrete project proposal is therefore not necessary, but a motivation for this residency and a good description of the plans and ideas the applicant wants to implement during the working period is required. In all cases, the committee advises first and foremost on the artistic quality of the portfolio. It then advises on motivation and plans in relation to the location. Only proposals with a positive evaluation will be considered for support.

The processing and evaluation of the submitted proposals is carried out within the framework of the Creative Industries Fund NL's Subsidy Regulations. Important in this context is Article 7, paragraph 2, which allows for a special procedure for open calls. The call is in line with the objective of 'Promoting talent development and artistic quality' as described in Article 2.e of the Subsidy Regulations. The other objectives mentioned in Article 2.e do not apply. This open call is subject to a tightening of Article 8.2: applications may only be submitted in English. The following articles in the Regulations do not apply to this open call:

Article 11, paragraph 2, under a and c and paragraph 3, under a;

Article 13, under b;

Articles 14 to 21;

Article 22, paragraph 3

applyingApplications must be written in English. Designers and makers can apply via the online application environment of the Creative Industries Fund NL. Visual artists can submit applications via the online application system of the Mondriaan Fund.Please note: Request your login details for the online application environment in time and become familiar with the application form. Validation of a new user account can take up to one working day.

would you like to know more?For more information about Think Tanger and the selection procedure for designers, please contact Zineb Seghrouchni at z.seghrouchni@stimuleringsfonds.nl or at 010-4361600.

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